HistoricMABEL MEMORIAL CHAPEL

U. S. Navy Surgeon Lucien G. Heneberger<click here, a military hero,donated the Mabel Memorial Chapel in 1898 to honor his wife Mabel, who died just after giving birth to their only child.Mabel Memorial Chapel was built upon Chestnut Ridge, a CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD. According to the Official Chapel History, land for the Chapel, Schoolhouse, and Cemetery was donated by Moses Wenger & Family.Mabel Memorial played an important part in the early history of the Rockingham County Schools and was used byJames Madison University for their very first class (1909) through 1930. <click hereAccording to oral history, in 1919 Dr. Heneberger left Two Hundred Fifty Ounces of Gold intrust with First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburg (worth over $250,000.00 today) and specified that the funds were only to be "expended in keeping in repair theMabel Memorial Chapel and maintaining religious work there". The Clerk of the Court confirmed that Dr. Heneberger'strust was to be used only for the perpetual maintenance and upkeep of Mabel Memorial Chapel, maintaining religious work at the Chapel, or for enlarging the Chapel...nothing else.

Members of the community continue to support the preservation ofMabel Memorial Chapel. It is clear the good people of Harrisonburg want to see the doors ofMabel Memorial Chapel open once again. The JMU Chapter of Alpha Tau Omega was first to hold an Easter Egg Hunt and Raffle to raise money for Mabel Memorial Chapel. WHSV-ABC TV-3, WVIR-NBC 29, the Daily News Record, and other media covered the Controversial Closing.2007James Madison University/JMU Breeze Story <click here. January 2007, the Mabel Memorial Congregation contacted the Virginia Department of HistoricResources and asked for assistance to save their chapel. Governor Tim Kaine received a letter fromthe community regarding demolition of the Chapel and responded promptly.David Edwards, Director of the VDHR, immediately contacted First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburg to learn more about the Civil War Era Bell and to speak with Rev. Sloop regarding the MMC congregation's application to landmark Mabel Memorial Chapel. There was no reply from Rev. Sloop nor anyoneelse from First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburg. Soon thereafter however, the Chapel was defaced by the First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburg and the historic Civil War era bell washauled away, as reported by the Daily News Record. While over seven years have passed,First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburg has not responded to any letters from the Commonwealth of Virginia regarding landmarking Mabel Memorial Chapel nor have they answered inquires regarding what happened to the historic Chapel Bell.

Mabel Memorial Chapel is located at 2025 Reservoir Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia (betweenWalmart and the Rockingham Memorial Hospital; one block east of Costco).Mabel Memorial Chapel is surrounded by 1000's of units of high density housing within walkingdistance. Two buses stop directly in front of Mabel Memorial Chapel. Another bus stop is located less than a block away at the Mabel Memorial Schoolhouse.Mabel Memorial Chapel is located on Reservoir Street in the most densely populated area of Harrisonburg. Although Mabel Memorial Chapel is the only church on Reservoir Street from Interstate 81 to Port Republic Road, First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburgmaintains that there are not enough people to fill the Chapel and that the location of Mabel Memorial Chapel is not viable for a church. The blizzard conditions and record 53.25 inches* of snow for 2009-2010 winter season were a real test of any building's strength. Many new buildings failed and collapsed. The weight of these record snowfalls confirm expert opinions click here that the Chapel structure is indeed sound. A leaky 115 year old roof however is all that protects the Chapel's interior, historical Bibles, hymn books and the Chapel's irreplaceable Cemetery/Membership/Baptism records. No matter how strong a structure, "Demolition by Neglect" and a leaky roof will destroy any building.In the 23 December 2010 Daily New Record front page story,First Presbyterian Church ofHarrisonburg Rev. Sloop states;"The church supports the effort to erect a state historicmarker. We are all for history". To date however, First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburghas not returned any paper work related to the state historic marker to the VirginiaDepartment of Historic Resources. While over seven years have passed, First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburg has not allowed the Virginia Department of Historic Resources access to photograph the interior of Mabel Memorial Chapel. In fact, The First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburg has not responded to any letters or telephone calls whatsoever from the V.D.H.R.Demolition by Neglect appeared to be the plan of action when the real estate market collapsed in2008. Offers from the community to replace the roof and repair the structure at no cost were refusedby the First Presbyterian Church of Harrisonburg. Regarding offers to repair the chapel,Rev. Sloop stated; "Even if someone did write a check for $50,000, we wouldn't accept it."After the recent rebound in the real estate market , Rev. Sloop stated;" (First Presbyterian Church) has been clearing the way for the Chapel's sale." In a Daily News Record front page story, Sloop states; "I anticipate it will be on the market very shortly."